We're running with the shadows of the night (Lark and Haelan)

[havinalark]

The temple was quiet, the only movement being the patrolling of the guards outside. In the dormitories the priests slept peacefully, trusting in the guards to protect the treasures hidden within the deepest sanctuary of the temple.

The guards, unfortunately, are not prepared for the dark shadow that knows exactly where they are patrolling and where their blindspots are, and slips through without them noticing. Nobody expects the soft, barely-there footfalls of the black-clad figure slipping through the darkened temple corridors, and they certainly don't expect someone to be able to pick the lock of the large oak door protecting the inner sanctuary and slip in, ready to do the same to the heavy padlock holding closed the chest that contains the temple's most sacred artefact - a golden statue that somebody has paid the Wing very, very good money to steal.

No, the are not prepared for any of that. Unfortunately, the wing was not prepared for what came next.

The slim redhead was crouched in front of the chest, working carefully at the padlock. As usual Lark was clad in simple black leggings and tunic, baggy enough to hide the femininity of her form, the black hood hiding her hair and a half mask covering her nose and mouth all helping to keep her identity - and gender - a secret. She appeared completely focused on the task at hand, but she had half an ear out for any disturbance, and when she heard a noise she was sweeping her tools into a pouch and disappearing into a shadowy corner, waiting to see who was coming.

Comments

[bad_thief]

Haelan makes a face, expression scrunching up in response to her teasing smile. It's her alias, yes, but it's his damn face. No one knows her real identity but there are a lot of people that know his face. A lot of people who would turn him in for the reward money. A lot of people who, if they caught him picking their pocket, would put two and two together and that would be it.

But he doesn't say that. He hopes that he'd cope outside the city. He could walk to the next town, he could maybe get a boat in the docks and go somewhere exotic and interesting where no one would know him and he could steal interesting coins with other king's heads on them.

He hopes all that would come to pass but it's almost impossible to be sure. He's not certain. He's not sure that he knows where the nearest town is, and maybe they have posters of him too. Or will do, by the time he's walked there. And what would he eat? Where would he sleep? There's no nice warm bakery attics in the woods.

"I guess..." He murmurs. "If you're sure. I've never really... gone away for a long time before. I suppose I should learn from a master."

[havinalark]

Lark nods slightly, satisfied that she was right about how inexperienced he was, he affirms that she's right to want to watch out for him, that he'll be better off with her by his side. Not to mention, if he gets caught that's her reputation going down with him, and she can pretend to herself that's the main reason she's helping him and nothing else, she didn't exactly get where she was today by looking out for other people.

"Exactly. Don't worry, I'll show you how it's done." she says, straightening up "Now I have to go and sort some things before we go, will you be alright here?"

[bad_thief]

As inexperienced as Haelan is, he is equally sarcastic. Not perhaps as bad as Arryn, but it seems that as bad as he is at one thing, he puts on a cheeky, over-confident act to try and balance things out. It's not rare in young men, but hopefully she doesn't take offence when he rolls his eyes at her.

"Yes mum."

In fact, he isn't going to open the door again, just makes himself comfortable on the floor, trying to catch up on the sleep he missed, trying not to let all the worries and the strange bubbling excitement carry him away. He doesn't even think she might disappear and bring the guards. Why should he? He trusts her.

[havinalark]

"If I were your mother I'd take you over my knee for this mess," she shoots back primly, though after a moment she sighs "Not that it's really your fault."

He had been set up to fail after all, she shouldn't really be annoyed at him for it at all, still, that didn't mean she was above teasing him somewhat, and it didn't mean she wasn't going to teach him to be better.

Still, with that said, she's happy to leave him to it, heading out to make her excuses and arrangements - it's a few hours before she's back, mid-afternoon, and she sweeps into the little room without much warning.

"Are you ready?"

[bad_thief]

Despite the fact he should have been expecting that, his face still lights up bright red. He doesn't actually want to be taken over her knee, no thank you, not when they're both far too old for anything like that. At least, not in that more innocent sense.

But at least her leaving gives him time to calm down, to catch a little bit more sleep.

"Ready as I'll ever be," He says, taking one of the bundles from her. There's just food in it, blankets, she's got the knives and whatever other sharp bits and pieces she wants to take along. He's not sure what they're going to need, or what they're even going to do, aside from lay low, but he'll trust her.

"Where are we going, exactly?"

[havinalark]

"I have a safe house a few towns over, we can stay there at first and decide what we're going to do," she explains, fastening a cloak around her neck and throwing another to him.

"I have a cart outside. Put the cloak on with the hood up and sit in the cart with your head down, when we reach the gate let me do the talking, alright?" She glances at him to make sure he's understood before beckoning him to follow, heading outside.

The cart is waiting on the main road the alleyway leads onto, and Lark throws the packs she has into the back of it before climbing up to the driver's seat.

[bad_thief]

Rowanoak is a nice, quiet, dull little place. There's enough people to ensure that two new faces don't immediately cause suspicion and panic, and enough work for a young man and his sister (he'll regret that till the end of his days) to be kept moderately busy. He's back to manual labour tending crops, herding cattle and shearing sheep, but it's better than having his head on a spike, or worse.

The only problem is that it is incredibly dull. No one has anything he can really steal, and Lark had made him swear that they wouldn't be thieving at all until everything had blown over. No thieving, not even pennies, not even any abandoned looking coin purses, knives, jewellery or other odds and ends.

It had been hard. Haelan has seen so many little things to tempt him and make his fingers twitch. But he has kept his promise.

He's not so sure about Lark. He'd woken up several nights ago to find himself alone, and waited for a few minutes to see if she returned. When she didn't, he'd crept around the cottage and their little yard to see if she'd been scared off by his snoring into another comfortable corner. But he'd not found her at all. The next night the same thing had happened, and now he was waiting.

He wasn't sure why. He didn't know if he was angry that she had lied, or worried that she'd not told him, or betrayed, or if she wasn't thieving at all, but out with someone more handsome than him. He had no idea, but his imagination was once more running away from him. Not a rare occurrence, but he hated pretending he didn't know she was up to something.

As the door creaked open, he moved to light the candle in its little dish, trying to push back all the emotions churning in his stomach.

[havinalark]

Lark had tried, really she had, she'd made it nearly a week in fact, which was probably a record for her. But she'd taken a job at the tavern and there was really only so long a girl could put up with smiling sweetly and playing innocent went patrons made ribald comments before she itched for something more.

So she'd snuck out to the nearest city, stolen some rich lady's jewellery and fenced it the same night, returning with a tidy little sum to put away. For both of them, she'd told herself, for an emergency, if they had to run again.

She'd done it a handful of times since, for the rush of it, the fun. Some nights she didn't even bother to keep what she'd stolen, taking coin to share amongst the poorest of the city, or even just leaving rich people's possessions in each other's houses for nothing more than mischief. It was enough to keep her from going crazy, and if Haelan didn't know it wouldn't hurt him, right?

Until she returned from her latest jaunt and let herself as silently as she could into the house, only to realise that Haelan wasn't asleep, he was sitting with a lit candle waiting for her.

"You're up late." was all she managed, her tone somewhat weak.

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[bad_thief]

"So are you," He replies, shifting to look at her. There was that familiar cloak and hood, the one he'd seen her in that first night in the temple precinct, when she had been The Wing and not Lark. It seemed like a long time ago, although really it wasn't at all.

He looks away. He doesn't need her to confirm it, the outfit is enough proof. He's a little relieved, really, not about the thieving, but the fact she'd back, safe and sound.

"I wish you'd just... just told me. I've been worrying myself sick wondering what you've been up to."

stupid sig thingy... hopefully it will go away

[havinalark]

"I-" she opened her mouth, excuses at the ready, but the whole 'not mad, just disappointed' angle took the wind out of her sails. Her shoulders slump slightly and her expression is briefly a little lost. She isn't used to having to worry about other people, to consider how her actions affect them, or to have them worrying about her. She isn't sure what to make of it.

After a few moments she rallies, straightening up and hiding away her confusion.

"I didn't mean to worry you, I thought you were asleep."

it's so rude

[bad_thief]

Haelan laughs, because well, in her place? He'd probably have done the same thing. He wasn't the one everyone back home was still looking for, so they could claim the reward. She was The Wing, she couldn't really let her reputation get forgotten, could she? She was as bored as he was, probably even more.

He shrugs it away. He's still a little hurt by the fact she didn't trust him, but considering her past boyfriend? That was understandable. He just feels surplus, although he'll get over it and at some point they'll either be able to go back to the city, or they'll go their separate ways and that will be it. He just doesn't want that to be yet.

"It's alright. I'm just jealous. Where did you go? Did you get a good haul?"

Re: it's so rude

[havinalark]

She's surprised at the amount of tension that slips from her shoulders when he says it's alright, she hadn't expected herself to care so much about what he thought. Shed try to claim, perhaps, it was simply because he would be difficult to live with if he decided to hold a grudge, but deep down she knew it was more than that. Fate might have thrown them together (or more accurately, her employer had), but they were something beyond that now.

"What exactly are you playing at?" She murmured under her breath, casting her eyes skyward, as if the gods would give her an answer there and then. Unsurprisingly, they didn't.

"The city about an hour's ride from here, I borrowed a horse. I didn't get much, but I did get something for you..." she'd picked it up on a whim, intending to gift it to him when she could admit to having stolen it, maybe because she was guilty being out there while he slept, unaware.

"But I think you can earn it," she added with a wicked smile "how are your pickpocketing skills?"

[bad_thief]

Haelan has never really been in this sort of relationship with a girl, he doesn't know if what he's saying is the right thing or if it isn't. When she rolls her eyes though, he's sure that she's still annoyed with him. But if he'd been sneaking out, wouldn't she have felt the same way? Or worse, because he'd promised not to?

He slumps a little, but listens to her with no less admiration. Lark makes friends very easily, enough to borrow horses and ride off for several hours at a time. That's like borrowing a sack of gold from someone.

Still, that's one of the thing he admires about her. She robs people but she doesn't betray the trust her friends put in her. He should try to be more like her.

And then he realises what she's said. "A present?" He's never had a present before. Being brought up as a temple orphan means you're grateful for what you get. But apparently he doesn't just get the present.

"My pickpocketing skills were never the best in the first place, and they're even worse now. Shepards don't pick pockets."

[havinalark]

"Well then you need some practice," Lark decides firmly, not to be dissuaded from her plan by a simple lack of experience. Picking pockets was an important tool in a thief's arsenal, and perhaps she could spend this time improving his - after all, he definitely needed the help.

Besides, it would probably get rid of some of this guilt she was feeling about leaving him behind to have her own fun, and stop her doing something stupid like inviting him out with her.

"I'm going to close my eyes, and I'll call out every time I feel your touch, when I do you have to step back and start again, you don't get your present until you can take it without me noticing." they can deal with people who have their eyes open later, for now it's about not being able to feel the item being removed.

In her left pocket, the pretty jewelled dagger waits.

[bad_thief]

When Lark has decided on something, you don't get to change her mind. It simply doesn't happen. She's a bit like the wind or the tide in that: she'll change when she wants to, not before. So Haelan gets to his feet, trying to work out where this present might be hidden.

"You know, closing your eyes and standing still probably doesn't help." He says. Moving targets are easier, they don't tend to notice a pickpocket's hand if their clothing or bag is already in motion, moving with them. In a crowd it's even easier because they're being jostled by everyone else.

But he sighs, and tries it anyway, moving behind her and trying to slip his hand into her pocket as quickly and as gently as he can.

[havinalark]

"If you can pick my pocket while I'm paying attention, you can pick anyone's," she retorts without opening her eyes.

His first attempt, she feels the faint tug against her pocket and she shakes her head.

"No, start again. I'll give you this for free, however; that's the wrong pocket, the item you're looking for is here," she taps the pocket in question and then folds her arms, waiting for him to try again.

[bad_thief]

Haelan sighs. It's a deep, put-upon sigh, but at least she's giving him pointers. He's never actually going to be that good though, he knows that. Not in a month of Sundays. But he'll try, if only because she's going to make him practise.

So he tries again, trying this time to be fast but steady as he reaches for the other pocket, on her other side.

[havinalark]

"No, you're pulling to the side too much, you need to be moving straight, try again," she instructs, patting her pocket to ensure the dagger is still there and then once again folding her arms to wait.

Each time she feels him, she gives him another tip, and she can tell he's taking most of them on board because the touch is definitely getting lighter, even though he's undoubtedly frustrated - not that she'll open her eyes to look at him until this is done.

Eventually, she feels as though she's been stood there for a while without him doing anything, and perhaps that's a good sign.

"Well? Are you going to do it?" she taunts, hoping that the lack of action means he's already done it, just to give him the chance to feel a little smug.

[bad_thief]

He'll be smug, because he can be. He knows he shouldn't feel so pleased with himself, that took so many attempts it was embarrassing by the end, but maybe his technique has improved. He'll just have to keep practising. Still, he's stepped back from her, the dagger in hand, and his silence comes from admiration. He's never seen such an intricately made thing before, all inlaid fillagree work and frankly, he doesn't deserve it. He certainly wouldn't ever be able to afford such a thing.

"Thank you, Lark," He manages to say after several moments of just looking at it, trying to take in all the detail. He knows he should thank her, gods only knows why she brought it back for him. But he's grateful whatever her motives.

[havinalark]

She turns, eyes opening to see the dagger in his hand, and smiles - and maybe it's just a little proud that he managed, finally, to pick her pocket without her noticing. She'd make a good thief of him yet.

"You're welcome," she tells him sincerely "every thief should have a weapon to hand, just in case, and why not make it such a pretty one?"

Maybe it's just assuaging her guilt, maybe it's something else, she's not entirely sure of her own motives, but she's pleased he likes it.

[bad_thief]

Haelan looks back at the knife again, fingers gently moving over all the stones inlaid in it, the careful work of a craftsman. Gods only know how long it took to make something like this, how much such a thing would cost. More than he'd ever afforded, and he'd never have the guts to steal something so showy, so easily identifiable.

He's only ever had a simple knife, bone-handled. He's never tried to use one as a weapon.

He smirks a little, lips turning up higher on one side than the other. "Someone said to me once that if you don't want to be stabbed, you shouldn't carry a dagger."

[havinalark]

"Only if you don't know how to use one," Lark said with a faint smile. People who inexpertly waved weapons about thinking they knew what they were doing usually did end up on the receiving end of violence, and it often was at the hands of the very weapon they'd been using as a threat - at least, when they waved weapons at some of the kind of people Lark knew.

Someone who actually did know what they were doing was usually better off.

"Don't use it as a threat, don't wave it about like you're tough, it's there if you need it." she added simply "You do know how to fight with a dagger, don't you? Or have you never had the need to before?"

[bad_thief]

Well that's the thing isn't it? Orphanages don't tend to teach their charges basic dagger skills. And as a thief you only really get one chance with a knife before they upgrade you to murderer or downgrade you to prisoner. So for Haelan there has only ever been one real option.

"Before I met you, running away very fast and hiding was my preferred method of fighting. Always worked too."

Sometimes you had to lay low for a day or so but the city had been big enough for one small street rat to cope reasonably well without ever having to threaten anyone at all.

[havinalark]

"Running away and hiding is still a pretty good option," Lark nodded, she didn't want him putting himself in danger when he had an escape route - but she wanted him to have the means to defend himself in a tight spot, especially when she knew people were after him. Or them.

"But if you don't have that option, it's good to have a back up. I can teach you how to use it." They may as well do something interesting while they were still lying low, and she knew she'd feel better the safer he was. She didn't really want to think too deeply about why that was.